Project summary

The Deal of the Century (TDTC) is the continuation and evolution of our work since July 2024, aimed at catalyzing a bold U.S.-China co-led global AI treaty. Building on our 90-page foundational Case document and 1,500+ hours of volunteer work, we're now targeting the narrow but real window to influence Trump's AI policy through his key potential influencers of his AI policy before his China visit in late 2025.

What are this project's goals? How will you achieve them?

Goals

• Persuade 3-5 key Trump AI influencers (Vance, Altman, Bannon, Pope Leo XIV, Gabbard) to champion a U.S.-led global AI treaty

• Shift the narrative from an AI arms race to "peace through strength" - securing U.S. economic advantage while preventing catastrophic risks

• Create political momentum before Trump's China visit (late 2025) for the "Deal of the Century"

How We'll Achieve Them

• September 15, 2025: Finalize our 70+ page Strategic Memo with tailored arguments for each influencer

• October 2025: Execute a two-week U.S. persuasion tour (Washington, Mar-a-Lago, Silicon Valley) for direct meetings with influencers and introducers

• Leverage our network of 25+ advisors and 10 partner NGOs to secure warm introductions

• Deploy targeted content: briefing decks, op-eds, and explainer videos framing the treaty as Trump's legacy opportunity

How will this funding be used?

Immediate needs ($60,000 minimum by mid-September):

• Travel & logistics for October U.S. tour: $15,000

• Part-time staff (2-3 positions) for memo finalization and outreach coordination: $25,000

• Meeting costs (venue rentals, dinners with influencers/introducers): $8,000

• Content production (professional printing, video editing, design): $5,000

• Operational expenses (communications, database tools, legal): $7,000

Stretch goals (additional funding):

• Extend operations through February 2026

• Rome meetings with Vatican AI representatives

• Possible Beijing/New Delhi engagements if political openings emerge
  

Who is on your team? What's your track record on similar projects?

Core Team

The Coalition for a Baruch Plan for AI brings together 25+ distinguished advisors including former UN ambassadors, Yale and Princeton professors, NSA cryptologists, and AI safety researchers from leading institutions. Our core team is led by Rufo Guerreschi (President, 950+ hours contributed), with key leaders including Felix De Simone (U.S. Outreach), David Manheim (ALTER founder), and board members Roberto Savio (Inter Press Service founder) and Davide Cova (former UN peace expert). We're backed by 10 partner NGOs including PauseAI, Center for Existential Safety, and the UN-established European Center for Peace and Development. Our advisors include Amb. Muhammadou Kah (Chair of UN Commission on Science & Technology), Wendell Wallach (Yale/Carnegie Council), Mark Barwinski (former NSA/UBS cybersecurity), and Chase Cunningham (Zero Trust co-founder).

For complete team profiles and credentials, visit www.cbpai.org/team.

Track Record

Since July 2024 (demonstrating this is an ongoing project, not new):

• Published comprehensive 90-page Case document with 22 contributors

• Grew from 6 to 10 partner NGOs

• Mobilized 1,500+ volunteer hours on $60,000 seed funding

• Launched December 2024 with Open Call endorsed by leading AI governance organizations

• Draft a late draft of a 70-page Strategic Memo of The Deal of the Century, built over a database of 300+ sources on influencer positions and 120 academic papers.

• Established as legal Italian non-profit (March 2025) with transparent governance

What are the most likely causes and outcomes if this project fails?

Most Likely Failure Modes

1. Insufficient access: Unable to secure meetings with key influencers despite introducer network

2. Message-market mismatch: Our framing doesn't resonate with Trump's immediate political priorities

3. Timing misalignment: China summit happens before critical mass of influencers align

Outcomes if We Fail

• Near-term: The AI arms race accelerates unchecked; ASI development continues without global coordination

• Medium-term: Concentration of transformative AI power in 2-3 entities; other nations permanently marginalized

• Long-term: Significant increase in extinction risk (currently 43% of Americans are concerned AI could "end the human race")

Mitigation Strategy

Even partial success - influencing 1-2 key advisors or shifting public discourse - creates foundation for future attempts as AI accidents increase public pressure for treaties.

How much money have you raised in the last 12 months, and from where?

• $60,000 from Survival and Flourishing Fund (February 2025)

  • Led by Jaan Tallinn (Skype founder, OpenAI/Anthropic investor)

  • Second-largest AI safety donor globally (~$40M annually)

• $3,600 in documented volunteer stipends

• Equivalent of $150,000+ in professional volunteer hours (1,500+ hours at market rates)

Why Additional Funding Now

Our seed funding enabled deep influencer analysis and memo development. We now need resources for the critical execution phase - the October tour and sustained engagement through Trump's China visit. This is our moment of maximum leverage before policy positions solidify.

Note: While 77% of U.S. voters support a strong AI treaty, this hasn't translated to political action. We're the only organization directly targeting the handful of people who can actually make it happen.